Is Freddy Krueger Real? The True Story Which Inspired A Nightmare Before Elm Street
67Freddy Krueger and Southeast Asian Nightmare Deaths
With razor sharp claws and singed flesh, Freddy Krueger is set to terrorize a new generation of audiences as Michael Bay's remake of A Nightmare on Elm Street slashes its way across movie screens April 30.
Yet, while audiences may be seduced by the violent images of the child predator invading the nightmares of Elm Street teens, one question audiences might ask: Is Freddy Krueger real? And if not, could a Freddy Krueger-like entity kill people in their nightmares?
Believe it or not, a real-life story out of Southeast Asia actually inspired Wes Craven's Freddy Krueger and the now infamous series which tells his story.
Freddy Krueger
Was Freddy Krueger Killing in Cambodia Before Elm Street?
In the early part of 1980, American newspapers ran a series of short stories chronicling a serious epidemic in Southeast Asia which claimed the lives of a number of young adults.
According to doctors, these relatively healthy men, all without a history of mental disorders, began reporting horrific nightmares driving them to forgo sleep in order to avoid these terrors in the REM cycle.
The consumption of coffee and other stimulants helped the men remain awake, initially, but eventually each man went to sleep. Hours later, the men would be found screaming and violently thrashing in their beds before dying from unknown causes.
“In the Philippines, it’s called bangungot, in Japan pokkuri, in Thailand, something else.” says Dr. Robert Kirschner, a physician familiar with this strange phenomenon. “But it all roughly translates as the same thing: nightmare death.”
While Freddy Krueger wasn't the natural reported figure, Southeast Asians believed demons had invaded the dream realm of these men, eventually claiming them in their nightmares.
These stories eventually came to provide a foundation from which a young Wes Craven would build his critical success as a horror director and producer.
Freddy Krueger may not have been a real person, but his nature was embodied in two people from Craven's life as a child; a school bully by the name of Krueger and a gruff homeless man from Craven's town would eventually serve as the inspiration for Freddy Krueger.
Freddy Krueger Resources
 | Amazon Price: $3.80 List Price: $14.96 |
 | Amazon Price: $7.27 List Price: $17.94 |
 | Amazon Price: $19.89 List Price: $41.94 |
![A Nightmare on Elm Street [Blu-ray]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51cfkl3w%2BCL._SL75_.jpg) | Amazon Price: $8.45 List Price: $14.98 |
vote upvote downshareprintflag
- Useful (4)
- Funny (4)
- Awesome (4)
- Beautiful (2)
- Interesting (5)
CommentsLoading...
A true story? Ok, but still wouldn't allow a child under 8 years old to watch it!
great hub. although I would like to know where you learned this from though, as I plan on writing a review on the new remake coming out, and I would love to put a back link or link to this hub in the review I write. However, before I can do that, i'll need to confirm your source. Not saying your lying or anything, but I usually like to get my facts straight before writing film reviews. Therefore, I would love to hear where your facts came from, as I would love to backlink this hub to my review one if that's okay.
wow i never knew those facts or anything like that i always new he was real befor just by watching the movie i can tell
okay, i just wanted to let you know that i put in a link to your hub on my review for this movie. anyway, thank you so much for your help, as i deeply appreciate it.
oh by the way, here's the link to my review if you want to check it out.
WHAT! A true story? How interesting!!!! GREAT HUB!! When you get a chance, come visit me! Blessings!!!
your true
how can you believe this ???
its just a myht thats not true !
so stop trying to convince yourselfs that this is real !
there is no such thing ! theres a reason for everything
Hi Brandon, Ive never liked horror movies but your research into the demons invading the guys sleep in south east Asia is fascinating. There are a lot of things we don't understand.
he is real i know it
do you think freddy krueger is real iv hav nightmares and iv heard stories so i know what it feals like to be stuck in night mare and cant come out till you fall or someone wakes you up or you kill the bad guy but one way or the other you dont feal safe your scared wat will happen next
and thats wat i beleive
ps dont watch freddy krueger to much or you will start to beleive
i have dreams about that oh my god
i've had two dreams with freddy krueger in them. lol. i kinda don't believe this story, though becuase there is no proof that this guy is really telling the truth. go to youtube.com and search brandonman24 for some GREAT videos!
fake he wear a mask
yes hes real
i thought he was fake
OMG!!I I'm 9 and I hate freddy!! I'm still scared to sleep!! He ain't real stop believing he's just a stupid man in a mask!!:)
I hate freddy all they do is make kids scared!!!:)hes so stupid!!:)
I hate freddy all they do is make kids scared!!!:)hes so stupid!!:)
he is real
he is scary i see him every where shool in my room and im just 9 when i walk alone at 9pm i see him and i run and he follows me im scared now i dont know why me im just a kid im happy we got a gaurd dog but i scared i think he is real
He is following me
how can he be real i never saw him he is just in a movie its not true
i have seen him in my dreams alot, it creepy :(
your the best
Freddy Krueger
The fictional character from the box office hit movie, The Nightmare in Elm Street, Freddy Krueger was a nightmare of every kid, teens dream. And Director Wes Craven did a great job in portraying him as just that. He wasn’t truly inspired from a mass murder who could enter your dreams and kill you with his long sharp claws. Something far more worse then that…. it came from Directore/Writer Wes Craven’s personal life. Freddy Krueger was inspired by a school bully who harassed Wes in his high school days. Must be cool to have a mass murdering horror character inspired by yourself, good job school bully.
THE STORY TOLD HERE IS THE TRUE ONE NOT THE ONE ON THIS WEBSITE BUT THE STORY ON THIS WEBSITE MAY BE TRUE BUT THE ONE I HAVE POSTED IS THE TRUE ONE
Thank you :)
To unknown caller and others,
the story posted on this website is true, a series of short stories chronicling this epidemic were published in american newspapers in the 1980's. And of course that is a guy in a mask
Of course its a guy in a mask there making the video about the real freddy the one you see in the cinama is robert wearing a mask but the story is real i cant belive you people and your comments
hes real i have saw him
Hello Hunter and all the others. I am real. To those who think I am fake you all can BURN IN HELL! SWEET DREAMS..
I knew it!I have been having nightmares and not sleeping for 1 week and a half but now i dont know whats real and whats a dream anymore! none of my friends belive me and think im insane and i got "knocked out" on thursday (attempeded)
to unknown caller...
you do realize that what you said as your true story was already posted in this man's story...pay attention and read the whole thing. and to everyone else...he is not saying freddy is real, he is saying that wes was inspired by this story to write the movie...that does not mean he is real bc obviously that is dumb, but maybe this story is true. We will never kno for sure bc we werent there, but it doesnt hurt to have something to believe in even if it is creepy.
Ausome I cant wait to read more
This not real I have been scared of this for awhile but i know that this not real!!!!! so people he is not real people just snecked in and they had nightmares and people killed them.
i sow him alot of times but i dont watch the movie i sow him in my dreams but he will come back he is so real i have blood in my bed and even my arms he will never stop leave me alone
Understand that Freddy may b an image of a demonic force, but NOTHING can stand against the power of GOD. Children...and others, just say, GOD please protect me and keep me safe. In Jesus name Amen. Thats all too it. And to the person who claimed to be Freddy-u should be ashamed! No harm will come to these children in Jesus name!!!
i dont think hes real only god knows so stop trying to scare us thats not right
Hi I love the story,but ive been having this nightmears about him and im a grown women he always wants to kill me,but 1 thing happened i still see him even though im not asleep.Help!
I'm so scared please dnt killl me may ndd briiiii..........;( why do yuh like making kids scaredd..................
this is old news any nightmare fans should know this by now
freddy is a great guy
Yeah, that fool comes into my dreams sometimes. It's scary nd you cant really sleep after that.
I have always thought that he was real in some capacity. I had nightmares as a young child about something very similar in characteristics and shape... this was before I had seen, or even heard of the movie.
Freddy Krueger THE REAL DREAM DEMON are you really real and please dont hurt me you rock dude im doing a project on yah give me coments
Freddy Krueger THE REAL DREAM DEAMON are you real me and my friends think so you rock i've seen him in a dream. me and my friends are doing a project on yah and i cant wait to read more. you rock freddy
please give us comments
Freddy Krueger THE REAL DREAM DEAMON are you real me and my friends think so you rock i've seen him in a dream. me and my friends are doing a project on yah and i cant wait to read more. you rock freddy
YOU GUYS ARE IDIOTS
Of course its a guy in a mask there making the video about the real freddy the one you see in the cinama is robert wearing a mask but the story is real i cant belive you people and your comments this is pro again did you people see that your so ruse
I think Freddy is real. I am only 12 and it takes some serious shizz- nit to scare me and I'm already scared of mirror's because of Bloody Mary and I'm scared to sleep because of Freddy Krueger, but still I think Freddy is real and I will do anything I have to to protect his name! So ALL YA'LL HATERZ NEED TOB SCCOOT YA BOOTS ON OUTTA HURR! YA HURR ME!
fredy scard me in my dream once and he killd me
The story is actually based on a few true events.. Some of you guys should Google the case of the " Springwood Slasher" Killer. Of course he was just a creepy child stalker and killer.. The whole dream killer thing is made up, but there's always made up parts in "true stories" if not then they're not as good to watch on the big screen.. #Justsaying
are you dead @kevon
Freddy is a fictional cahracter, that I can tell everyone and everyone knows it. The stories about southeast asia, is true! my grandparents are from that area and have seen and know many incidents.
I wanted to state for the record Wes Craven did an interview where he said that the newspaper articles were his inspiration for noes. In today's world I'm sure you could probably YouTube it though I have never tried
I am not scared of no freddy,jason,micheal myers,or bloody mary
freddi scary but i find bloody mary way more scary!!!!!
I had a dream during alcohol withdrawal, where he kept flashing up out of nowhere + dissapearing, nothing else happened, it was the Englund image of Freddy.
he is not real he is just acting and he has a mask on so he is toataly fake
Don't fall asleep
listen i hav had nightmares and me an my friends hav seen him and were only 11 an 12 years old its very creepy we hav the feeling sumone is alawys is always watching us every where we look hes there pleez freddy if ur out there dont hurt us my friends an i always get txt messages from him i hate wes craven now and i hate freddie there the scariest thing on the face of the earth is there any one out there who has these expeiriences if so HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! he is a demon from Down u no where an i dont get scared easily im the kind who beleive in ghost and things but this is officially the worst please HELP!!!!!!!
I just had a dream with him last night. My uncle ran him over with a truck multiple times along with Jason voorhees
im real dont go to sleep
freddy krueger above me you are not reel. you think you can fool thees people. you are my next victum/
mwahahahahahaha watchout im coming to get you all
pooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooop
one two freddys comin for u. three four lock your door. five six get your alarm fixed. seven eight stay up late. nine ten DONT GO OUTSIDE AGAIN!
BEWARE OF FREDDY KRUEGER
We dont thunk he is real. it seems like its all fake. it is interestig and we do want to read more but in the movie it seems like he us fake and never rreal. we dont believe he is but we do want to know if he is and what happend to make so many people believe he is real. leave a comment to tell us ifbhe is real to you or not.
i got scratch by freddy krueger
look at the song annonymous poated. listen to it take my word
sry its look at the song ANONYMOUS POSTED. take my word. sry agn
lmfao is waaaaaaay betta then fk. exc. you giyz are obsessed about fk. LMFAO ROCKS PPL!
i most say i have a dream with freddy krueger be reborn in to our world creepy:(
it dont mtter if freddys rl or nt cuzz the story bout southeast asia is stll so damn ineresting nd if freddy is rl tht be sick bro lk who g doesnt wnt 2 gt klld by hm?woooooooooooooooooooo!!?,?
Yeah when I was younger I seen every one of these movies, I had the nightmares, but it didn't stop me from sleeping and I continued to watch them. Now that I an adult I own every one of the movies and I laugh at them more than anything. Freddy is awesome, Robert Englund is a great actor. And I still have dreams with Freddy, but when I wake up I laugh about it, it doesn't bother me.
i think freddy is real because i see all the movies and he rock!!!!!
don't fall asleep i just dream about freddy
watch out!!!!
THIS IS REALLY SCARY I FEEL LIKE IT'S GONA HAPPEN TO ME THIS NIGHT.;_
i hate Freddy Krueger really bad!!!!!
I like Freddy Krueger he is cool !!!!!!!!!!
HE IS H.O.T!!!!
I THOUGHT HE WAS REAL
And Freddy Krueger's name came from a bully.
He is real and ive seen him in my dreams before. Just before he got me I woke up. These facts are real there are demons that can take any form. They mess with you in your dream. Until you let your gaurd down your there dinner
he comes in my dreams too ive got scares and cuts please help me im soo scared hes coming for me tonight I cant sleep....AGH!!!
he is real
he is not really i had him in my dream onec and he stabed me in the heart i woke up and there was nothing there so stop talking about him
I'm Just Wondering If There's Any Stories Online, About Real Life Child Molestors That Are Much Like The Supposed (Fictional) Freddy Krueger?? Instead Of You All Arguing About What Is Real, Or What Isn't Real, (Is Real, Isn't Real, Whatever!) What About Real Life Stories, About Real Life Child Molestors, Just Like The (Fictional) Freddy Krueger?? And Yes, Freddy Scared Me Too! (When I Was A Teenager, Freddy Scared Me Too!) From Elise Age 39 In Lawrence Kansas Usa :)
I am 10 and I think FREDDY rocks he doesent give me nightmares he gives me good dreams.
Im coming after you evan for saying im not real.
ng0208 2 years ago
Great hub! I love the movie but I had never heard of the true story from Southeast Asia. Truly interesting and makes me want to read more!